Apparatus for exercising the ocular muscles and for fusion training



Dec. l0, 1929. J. R. HOWARD- 1,738,708

APPARATUS FOR EXERCISING THE OCULAR MUSCLES AND FOR FUSION TRAINING 3 She'ets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept; 29. 1928 Dec. l0, 1929. J, R, How/ARD' A 1,738,708 APPARATUS Fox ExERcIsING THE ocULAR MUSCLES AND FOR vFUSION TRAINING Fi'lea sept. 29. 1928V s sheets-sneet- 2' Dec. l0, 1929. J. R, HOWARD 1,738,708

APPARATUS FOR EXERCISING THE OCULAR MUSCLES AND FOR FUSION TRAINING Filed Sept. 29. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I l?. Howard Patented Dec. 1,0, 1929 lUNITED "STATES PATENT osi-ICE JOSEPH RICHARD HOWARD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND APPARATUS FOR EXERCISING THE OCULAR`MUSCLES AND FOR FUSION TRAINING Application filed September 29, 192.8, Serial No. 309,318, and in, Great Britain September 29, 1927.

This invention refers to an apparatus forV exercisingthe ocular muscles and for training the fusion sense.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an instrument of precision designed to overcome some of the diiiiculties surrounding the use of stereoscopes, and

amblyscopes, in particular that it provides a means of conducting the exercises'under the control of the operator, rather than depending on the aptitudeof the patient to realize the significance of the treatment; also that the basis of the principle of the training lies in the appeal'to the brain sense to retain' binocular stereoscopic vision, rather than in the attempt to fuse dissimilar objects.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus by means of which a surgeon or other competent person can diagnose the nature of the treatment rand prescribe the limits of the exercise which can then be readilyconducted subsequently by y an assistant.

Now according to the present invention, I provide apparatus for exercising the ocular muscles and for training the fusion sense, comprising a pair of substantially coaxially arranged horizontal tubes each carrying at its outer end a stereoscopic lantern slide transparency and terminating at its innerend in an eye piece having a focus lens and a right angled optical prism, the eye pieces being mounted so as to be adjustable to the pupillary distance of the patient and the tubes being mounted for relative angular movement in a horizontal plane. In order that the invention may be clearly understood and more readily carried into effect, it is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichz- Figure 1l is a front elevation of the improved apparatus conveniently rcferred to as a synoptiscope; y

Figure 2 is'a pla-n view thereof; l

Figure 3 is aside elevation thereof; and

Figure 4 is a detail plan illustrating the scales and pointers indicating the pupillary distance and theangular movement of the two eye tubes.-

As shown and in carrying the present invention into effect the exercising apparatus comprises a pair of eye-pieces a, a which are mounted on a table, stand or othersuitable support b so as to be adjustable to the pupillary distance of the patient indicated by the scales a and pointers a2 thereby obviating any prismatic effect from decentration. The eyepieces each have a focus lens c and a right angled optical prism d whereby stereoscopic lantern slide transparencies e placed at the ends of horizontal tubes f and illuminated from behind as by means of lamps gare'- viewed. The images of the vslides e by reason of the prisms d, appear projected imme- 05 diately in front ,of the patient, and by the careful movement of the tubes f the images can be superimposed to form a single stereoscopic picture. The transparencies e can be varied to suit children or older patients and can be adapted to the requirements of the various treatments for which the instrument .V can be used. The slides e may conveniently be illuminated evenly through ground glass screens 7L by means of the aforesaid lamps 75 g which may be mounted in hinged or removable hoods z' adaptedy to permit of easy replacement of the'same. The lamps g may be lit from any suitable source, such for instance,` as the electric supply mains or a battery (not shown) arranged in a case j arranged on the sta-nd b, -resistan-ces k being employed in the circuit of one or both lamps to effect variable illumination as for stimulating a partial amblyopia.

One of the tubes f, the right hand one in Figure 1, may also have a hand screw Z or other device for raising or lowering one slide e as is required for hyperphoria treatment, and in such a case it is preferably also furnished'with afscale mand pointer n indicating deviation effect.

The adjustment of the tubes f for pupillary distancei may conveniently be effected by mounting them on vertical arms o which are mounted to slide towards or away from .each other on a horizontal bar p. 4The angular adjustment of thetubes f may be effected by mounting the said vertical arms o so that they can rotate in relation to their carriers or slides scales '1- and pointerss being provided to inicate the angular position of the tubes f. This angular movement ofthe tubes f may be effected by means of projecting arms or hand -5 levers t o`r Where rgreater precision is required, by means of a worm and pinion mech, anism actuated through a milled Wheel or its equivalent at the end 'of the shaft carrying the Worm. j An adjustable chin or head rest u is provided to assist the patient in keeping his head'in fixed relationship to the eyepieces a, a, the adjustment being effected vertically by means of a milled lscrew fv engaging a vertif cally adjustable rod fw and horizontally by means Vof a screw w' and sliding rod y. I

In a slightly modified construction one tube f may be provided Vwith a rotating end for j carrying the slide e and the lamp g, thus givl ing afurther degree of adjustment for cyclophoria cases. What I claimvis 1. `In an apparatus for exercising the ocular muscles and for' training the fusion sense, comprising a j pair of co-axially arranged horizontal tubes, a lantern slide transparenc carried by each tube, means carried by eac tubefor illuminating such transparency, an eye-piece carried at .the inner end of each tube and including a focus lens and a right angled prism, a bar on which the tubes are s'lidably mounted to permit pupillary distance adjustment of the tubes relative to each other, means for supporting the tubes for '35 pivotal movement to permit of their relative angular adjustment in a horizontal plane, and visible indicators for determining the extent of pupillary Vadjustment 'and the degree of angular movement.

40 2. In an apparatus for exercisin the ocular muscles and for training the usion lsense as defined in claim l, including means carried byone of the tubes for vertically adj usting saidlantern slide transparency.

v4:5 3. An apparatus for exercising the ocular muscles and training the fusion sense as defined in claim 1, including a head-rest to assist in keeping the patients head in xed relation to the eye-pieces, and means for adjusting the head-rest. l

4. An apparatus for exercising the ocular muscles and for training the fusion sense as defined in claim 1, including hand levers for controlling the angular adjustment of the .55 tubes.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed by name,

' JOSEPH RICHARD HOWARD. 

